How Black Music Impacts

How Black Music Impacts Guthrie P. Ramsey says that music is not only fun, but it is also a strong record of culture, survival, and history. This mixtape shows what African American music is all about. Ramsey says that African American music shows how people have dealt with problems, stayed true to themselves, and shared their memories. In this way, both old and new songs are cultural documents that show faith, resistance, and pride. This playlist is about these things and how they don't change over time. The religious song "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" shows how deeply religious African Americans were when they were slaves. It also has secret messages about getting away and being free. This kind of spiritual music shows how music can be a source of hope and a way to fight back without being obvious. They show what life was like for slaves and how they wanted to be free in body and spirit. "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" by Bessie Smith is a blues song about problems, strength, and pride. The blues tradition talks about the hard parts of everyday life while still being honest and proud of how you feel. This mix of pain and strength is a common theme in African American music. Jazz goes even further with its social commentary. "Strange Fruit" by Billie Holiday is a strong attack on racism and lynching in the United States. It makes music a way to speak out. Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World," on the other hand, is about hope and optimism. It says that even when there is social injustice, there can still be beauty and peace. These songs show how jazz can talk about both harsh truths and hopeful ideas. Gospel music is about believing in God and being strong in your heart. "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" by Mahalia Jackson shows how important religion is for finding peace and guidance. Music and activism got very close during the Civil Rights Movement. Sam Cooke's song "A Change Is Gonna Come" is about wanting fairness and equality. "What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye is about bigger problems in society, like war, poverty, and unfairness. "Say It Loud I'm Black and I'm Proud" by James Brown is a song that celebrates being Black and being strong. It talks about who you are and how proud you are of it. When the genre changes to hip hop, telling stories becomes more important. "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five shows how hard life is in cities. "Keep Ya Head Up" by Tupac Shakur talks about being strong and aware of social issues. Modern artists still do this. People who don't like police violence and systemic racism have made Kendrick Lamar's song "Alright" their anthem. H.E.R.'s "I Can't Breathe" is about violence and racial injustice, while Beyoncé's "Formation" is a celebration of Black culture and identity. This mixtape shows that African American music from different genres and times always shows how the community has lived, fought, and succeeded. It backs up Ramsey's theory by showing that music is more than just fun; it can also teach us about history, identity, and be a strong voice for change in society.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Interview

Madison Williams Dr Harris Eng 2017 4/22/2026 M=Madison A=Artis M-Ok, I will be interviewing Mr. Artis Williams about his music group, The Might Ambassadors in the 70s. So first question, what made you get into music. A-What made me get into music when I was a small boy, that my family was musically inclined anyway, and so we decided that we would keep it up. And so after my peers were singing, we just stayed in the singing business. M-Ok. Why did y’all choose gospel music? A-Well gospel music was the most impressive thing to do because we was, we was raised up in the church and that’s the way that our parents raised us, and that's the way that we would go. M-What did those lyrics mean to you when singing? A-Come again? M-What did those lyrics mean to you when singing? A-In singing the gospel because it is the words of God which impressed us. This is the way that our religion, our christianity. That was the way of life and it impressed me so much that I wanted to be saved. And so ...
Read more

Make it Bounce

Lauren Calhoun Dr. Harris ENGL-2017 22 April 2026 Make it Bounce New Orleans Bounce music is well-situated in Black Vernacular tradition through its use of Southern, Black dialect and frequent sampling, interpolating, and remixing of songs by Black artists. The genre was pioneered by rappers like MC T Tucker and DJ Irv sampling songs from the 80s. This eventually led to the creation of “Triggerman beat” which is a mainstay of Bounce music’s production (Taylor, 8). The other cornerstones of Bounce music, as described by “the Queen of Bounce”, Big Freedia, are call-and-response, a heavy and uptempo bass, and “ass-shaking”. While the Bounce music genre was founded on the hypermasculine musical performances of heterosexual male artists, Bounce is widely informed and sustained through Southern, Black feminine and queer expression. K’wan Foye, a hip-hop fiction writer, describes the “booty” as the “focal point” of Bounce music’s dance expressions (Taylor, 5); twerking, rolling, shaking, wobb...
Read more

From Negro Expression to Black Performance: The Evolution of Black American Culture

Jerriona Leonard Professor Harris ENGL 2017 22 April 2026 From Negro Expression to Black Performance: The Evolution of Black American Culture In the text, “From 'Negro Expression' to 'Black Performance,'” DeFrantz and Gonzalez explore how “Negro Expression” evolved into “Black Performance” as a broader and more self-defined creative space. From pre-enslavement to now, Black expression has grown and changed: the way Black people identify, our music and dance, our spiritual identity, and our fashion. I created 4 colleges to demonstrate this concept: one for culture and spirituality, two for music and dance, and one to highlight Black fashion. The music and dance collages highlight how music and dance function as foundational forms of Black performance. From early pre-enslavement rhythmic traditions and instruments to contemporary styles like hip hop and social dance, music and choreography are an expression of identity, resistance, and joy. DeFrantz and Gonzalez’s idea...
Read more